Celtx Tutorial: Quick Keys for Apple Computers

Here is a Celtx tutorial that outlines the keyboard shortcuts in this free screenwriting software.

slide 1 of 6

Quick Keys

Most people who use Apple computers for multimedia and filmmaking, especially with software like Final Cut Pro and Pro Tools, that practical use requires speeding up the process with quick keys. Quick keys, also called keyboard shortcuts, are keyboard combinations that will do commands or actions that may require you to go through a menu system with the mouse to do instead. When you enter in these keyboard shortcuts you can perform important actions and can end up speeding up the general creative process you go through.

These keyboard shortcuts are not just the realm of non-linear video editing but also to text based programs like the free screenwriting software Celtx. Here is a look at the most useful Celtx keyboard shortcuts, and all of these keyboard shortcuts have to be entered as written and with all the keys pressed at the same time for this free screenwriting software to recognize them.

slide 2 of 6

Edit

The basic edit functions have familiar Celtx quick keys that are similar or the same to those used in word processing programs as well as video editing programs like Final Cut Pro.

Cut - Command and X

Copy - Command and C

Paste - Command and V

Undo - Command and Z

Redo - Shift, Command and Z

Select All - Command and A

Find - Command and F

Find Again - Command and G

Find Previous - Shift, Command and G

slide 3 of 6

File

The Celtx commands for File are similar to other programs that mimic it as well, and in the same line as many of the keyboard shortcuts for Edit. What is really different about them is the difference between the free screenwriting software Celtx and a more standard word processing program.

New Project - Command and N

Open Project - Command and O

Save Project - Command and S

Save Project As - Shift, Command and S

Close - Command and W

Print - Command and P

slide 4 of 6

Screenplay and Stage Play

When you are in the screenplay mode there are different specific Celtx keyboard shortcuts to help you when you are actually writing.

Scene Heading - Command and 1

Action - Command and 2

Character - Command and 3

Dialog - Command and 4

Parenthetical - Command and 5

Transition - Command and 6

Shot - Command and 7

Text - Command and 8

If you are writing a Stage Play in Celtx then some of the commands will be different because there is a different format, though much of the general structure will be familiar to you.

Act - Command and 1

Scene Heading - Command and 2

Stage Direction - Command and 3

Character - Command and 4

Dialog - Command and 5

Parenthetical - Command and 6

Transition - Command and 7

Text - Command and 8

slide 5 of 6

Misc.

There are a number of different options for when you are writing or constructing your screenplay in Celtx, so here are a few important keyboard shortcuts that are going to come up outside of these areas.

Page Break - Option and Return

Minimize - Command and M

White Space - Shift and Return

Bold Text - Command and B

Italic Text - Command and I

Underlined Text - Command and U

Tab Switching - Command and Option with either the Left or Right buttons